Making Your Company a Work Destination

Willory has undergone a bit of a metamorphosis over the past few months with the acquisition of The Human Resource Department. Inc’s staffing division.  With any change comes reflection, and with ours I’ve been happy to find some validation as well.   The feedback we’ve received from our own, rapidly growing staff and team of HR and payroll professionals is how great it is to be part of the team.  That’s nice, but what it really got me to think about is what makes a company a destination spot for employees.  What makes an organization a sought after employer?

In Northeast Ohio, the NorthCoast 99 is considered by many to be the gold standard – recognition that states (or implies), these companies are a great place to work.

What I’ve found over the years that you attract great candidates with a good salary, position, and what I like to refer to as a “psychological” paycheck.  What is a psychological paycheck?  Simply put, it is everything that a job/position and the company provides that cannot be measured as a tangible benefit (a 401k is a measurable benefit).

But what makes a company so great that the organization’s brand name makes them instantly appealing to potential candidates? Combining my own thoughts along with some criteria NorthCoast and others use when choosing organizations, I have gathered a list of things your organization could or should be doing – I could and may do an article on each item, but for now I will just briefly mention them to get your juices flowing. Keep in mind also; it would be myopic to do these things just for the recognition. The real reward comes from the employees you attract and retain.

Employee Development
Have corporate training and development programs in place and incent managers to help shape their employees’ career paths.

Company Culture
Create a distinct, healthy culture that respects employee needs while they align with that of the business. Define your values, and seek to bring like-minded candidates into the fold.

Models of High Performance
Make sure your organization knows who the top performers are and what a top performer looks like – and leverage them for mentoring.

Recognizing Performance
Celebrate achievement through recognition and rewards.  For some, recognition will be more gratifying while others are strictly rewards motivated.  Regardless, make sure you express appreciation so everyone can see and participate.

Work/Life Balance
Be flexible, you are hiring people to do a job, not occupy a chair.  Encourage your employees to be available when needed, but let them know that they can be available for their families as well.